Suriana maritima L., Sp. Pl. 284. 1753; A.W. Bennett in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 1; 522. 1875.

Shrubs or small trees, 2 - 3 m high, littoral, without a bitter taste. Leaves crowded at ends of branchlets, exstipulate, linear-spathulate, entire, 15 - 30 x 2 - 3 mm, with dense, simple, glandular hairs, nerves inconspicuous with tuberculate scars. Inflorescence 2 - 4-flowered; bracts lanceolate, 4 - 8 x 1 mm; pedicels ca 1 cm long, articulate. Sepals connate at base, ovate-lanceolate to ovate oblong, 5 - 10 x 2 - 3 mm. Petals obovate-oblong to orbicular, shortly clawed, as long as sepals, bright yellow. Stamens unequal; filaments hairy below; anthers emarginate, ca 1 mm long. Ovary obovoid, ca 1 mm long, hairy; styles ca 5 mm long, glabrous except at base; stigma free, small, inconspicuos. Fruits 2 - 3 mm long, consisting of 3 - 5 achene-like drupelets.

Fl. Sept. - Feb.; Fr. Nov. - May.

Distrib. India: Found along sea coast, usually rare but locally often very abundant in islands or small islets forming thickets along sandy beach and coral coasts. Tamil Nadu (Rameswaram & Krusadi Islands); Andaman & Nicobar islands; Lakshadweep(Minicoy, Kavarthy, Agathi, Betra Por).

Throughout tropics.